The field of the invention pertains to precision mechanical gages and, in particular, to mechanical gages for setting the cutting height of golf course greens mowers. Such lawn mowers are constructed and adjusted for cutting a precise height of grass for a smooth even carpet-like green.
In recent years such mechanical gages have used dial indicators on a fixture that effectively provides a baseline for the measurement. U.S. Pat. No. 3,664,029 discloses a dial indicator mounted on a bar affixed to one shaft. The dial indicator contacts a second shaft to determine axial alignment. U.S. Pat. No. 4,594,785 discloses a dial indicator mounted on a flat plate for checking the piston travel in a disc brake caliper.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,335 discloses a greens mower height gage having a pair of dial indicators, one for the groomer and the other for the bed knife. The dial indicators are mounted on a flat bar that is positioned against the forward and rearward rollers of the mower. In use the dial indicators are visible only from under the mower. U.S. Pat. No. 5,175,939 also discloses a greens mower height gage but with a dial indicator extending from under the mower when the height gage is in use. The height gage is preset by adjusting a shoulder bolt that engages the bed knife. The front roller is vertically adjusted to substantially "zero out" a flexible bar which actuates the dial indicator. Thus, this gage takes measurements relative to a preset measurement or setting and is limited by the maximum deflection of the flexible bar. Only by removing the gage and changing the preset shoulder bolt can the measurement range be increased. Significant changes of cutting height and actual measurement of unknown cutting height are therefore awkward to make.